NEWS

On Wednesday, April 6th, Borough President James S. Oddo hosted “A Conversation with the Class of 2016” at P.S. 48. At the event, student reporters from Island high schools asked BP Oddo about quality-of-life issues affecting Staten Island, which opened up a back-and-forth dialogue between BP Oddo and the students.Topics that students were interested in ranged from development on the North Shore to improving public transportation and traffic on the Island. Many asked about issues that were personal to them, such as combatting substance abuse and helping their fellow students who suffer from dyslexia.BP Oddo also asked the students for their impressions on Staten Island. Their responses were overwhelmingly positive, with several students noting the support community members gave each other after Hurricane Sandy.“What we need is informed Staten Islanders,” BP Oddo told the students. “This borough is dying for leadership, and if we’re going to have a vibrant community, we need to keep a lot of your talent in this borough.”In addition to the student reporters, several high school seniors who participated in the “Night of Mentors” attended the event. The “Conversation” concept was born last year and it has become an annual event.